


Drowning in the Darkness

by Polarissruler



Series: The Corruption of the Light [2]
Category: Christian Bible (Old Testament), Soul Cartel (Webcomic)
Genre: Canon-Typical Violence, Gen, Manipulation, Pre-Canon, Religious Discussion
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-31
Updated: 2019-10-31
Packaged: 2021-01-15 14:47:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,201
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21255080
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Polarissruler/pseuds/Polarissruler
Summary: The waters of the Red Sea echoed in the night. Cold, salty waves drowned the screams of men and beasts.From a nearby hill, two figures watched the cataclysm. Neither of them seemed to enjoy it very much – just like neither of them seemed willing to do something. “You are an angel, should you not be saving people?” asked Mastema.“Yet you are the one, who allied with the Pharaoh. Should you not go and salvage your followers?” Uriel looked away from the sea – he could not stand the struggle of men at all. He cared too much about humans – just the perfect thing to exploit.





	Drowning in the Darkness

The waters of the Red Sea echoed in the night. Cold, salty waves drowned the screams of men and beasts – the Sea had split apart so that Moses could pass through it to safety. Every Egyptian solider was dying, struggling to get a single gulp of air after the waves closed back and buried them.

“Shouldn’t you help?”

From a nearby hill, two figures watched the cataclysm. Neither of them seemed to enjoy it very much – just like neither of them seemed willing to do something. “You are an angel, should you not be saving people?” asked Mastema.

“Yet you are the one, who allied with the Pharaoh. Should you not go and salvage your followers?” Uriel looked away from the sea – he could not stand the struggle of men at all. He cared too much about humans – just the perfect thing to exploit.

Without saying a word, Mastema flew over the waters. Only some hands, frantically swimming up to safety, broke the ever-still silence of the night. Too noisy, far too noisy – but saving them would make Uriel even more doubtful.

Mastema flicked his hand downwards. A black stream of cubes followed it silently underwater. So dark were they that even the light seemed to run past their edge and melt into the strange matter.

With another flick of his hand – this time upwards – Mastema made all cubes swim back – and along with them, all bodies they could carry.

“That is the extent of my ability.” In the middle of his puppets, he stood – a black silhouette in front of the moon. Numerous people floated around him – barely alive, but still breathing. “Unfortunately, our youngest sister is the only Archdevil with the magic of healing. Can you save them, perchance?”

There was no need for an answer. Mastema knew perfectly well Uriel could only fight – he and Michael were the vanguard of the Heaven Host. How could a destroyer hold the power of salvation?

“I have no way to heal them.” Uriel did not even turn to look at Mastema – still unable to stomach the result of his actions. Just as planned – now it was time for the finishing touches of the masterpiece. A war was brewing – it could happen in a millennium, two, or even three – but what was such time for beings older than the rocks? The side, which first started recruiting allies would be at advantage – and what better ally than the second-strongest fighter of the enemy?

Ever since the poor Uriel had been created in the Heavenly Spheres, Mastema had chosen him. Another angel of the light, set to replace the Fallen Lucifer: that made him a perfect target. God had not learned his lesson at all – the only sure obedience was removing the choice of rebellion.

But Uriel – with all his love for humanity and disdain for injustice – rebelled. Why shouldn’t a perfect being use his power to create a perfect world? Mastema slowly sowed the seeds in his mind, pushing Uriel to the most favorable conclusion: his God wasn’t perfect.

“Then your God has forsaken them. Understandable – they are enemies of his chosen people. Why should he care about them? Had I been in his place, I would have done the same.”

Mastema stood on a nearby rock, looking at the stars. “No,” and this time he was not speaking to Uriel, “I would not have drowned them. If I had absolute power, I would not leave them to suffer needlessly.” The deadweight was not needed anymore. Mastema’s cubes shot through the bodies – and a downpour of blood and corpses flooded the Red Sea. “But that is just me.”

Shivering, anxious, worried, conflicted and confused, Uriel could not even speak. Of course, he could not! His god just got compared to a devil – and not just any kind of devil, but Mastema himself – the Prince of Lies. And there was no reason to stop with so much advantage.

“I am sure your god sees everything from his comfortable throne up there and has a plan. And if a few hundred deaths are necessary for the greater good, then so be it. I understand where he is coming from,” Mastema turned to Uriel and sealed them both in his cubes, warding the rest of the world away. “If I were in his place, I would have easily done the same thing – one life never outweighs a hundred.”

Mastema walked slowly towards Uriel and touched his hand. The sun fire burned him slightly – oh, he could not wait until that power was his to abuse! Soon, he could burn the angels with their own light, burn even the Heavens and leave only ash! And only he would reign over this world – he would take God’s Throne, he would be the Almighty! Soon, soon, soon!

All this passion sank to the ocean of emotions, buried under layers of masks. “Shall we make another contract?” As calm as ever, Mastema made his offer: “If I manage to convince you, I am more just than your god, will you join me? A being of goodness shall never serve a tyrant, crueler than the Devil himself. And since your god should be perfect, there would be no reason to not agree: you will win for sure. And what will you win…” Mastema pretended to be lost in thought – Uriel would not fall for such a basic trick, but every little impression helped. “If you win, I swear to obey every command you give me for the rest of our existence.”

Uriel did not answer – just as planned. He would never take such a risk; even if the god he obeyed had to be perfect, there was that nagging, soft voice at the back of his mind, sweet like oleander honey, that repeated a curse for the ages: “But what if he is not?”

Without an answer, Uriel turned to face Mastema. Fires danced around his fingers, like a huge snake strangling the angel. A bright light pierced the dark shell. The heat hit Mastema – were he a lesser being, he would have burned without even ashes remaining. Corrosion of the sun – Uriel’s greatest power. But Mastema did not fear it – he could only think “How can I use that?”

“Give me one reason to not smite you on the spot,” Uriel spoke, covering his face with light. Ah, so Mastema was getting in his mind – by now the poor little boy could only win the argument by force.

“If you truly believe the world would be a better place without devils to oppose your chief, then do so.” The heat made Mastema sweat, but he still kept his icy cold voice. He had taken the risk as soon as he came alone – he was the weakest Archdevil; he had no weapon against Uriel but trickery. Yet he needed that piece; without a secret weapon, any chance of defeating God would die faster than a plant amidst a desert.

Still shaking, Uriel lowered his powers. Once again, ebony blackness took over the cold desert. “I shall let you live only this time, Snake of Eden.”

The coward flew away. Well, it was not perfect – but the prize came closer and closer.


End file.
